The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome on the physical profile and quality of life

Objective: To investigate the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on the physical fitness and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among SARS survivors. Design: A cohort study. Setting: An outpatient physiotherapy department in a major hospital in Hong Kong. Participants: SARS patients (N = 171) discharged from the hospital. Their mean age was 37.36 +/- 12.65 years, and the average number of days of hospitalization was 21.79 +/- 9.93 days. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Subjects' cardiorespiratory (6-minute walk test [6MWT], Chester step test for predicting maximal oxygen uptake [Vo(2)max]), musculoskeletal (proximal/distal muscle strength and endurance test), and HRQOL status (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36]) were measured and compared with the normative data matched for age and sex. Results: Seventy-eight (45.61%) patients continued to require prednisolone (< 0.5mg(.)kg(-1.)d(-1)) for residual lung opacities in 0 ties when data were collected. The values of 6MWT distance, predicted Vo(2)max, proximal and distal muscle strength, and the scores from all SF-36 domains, particularly perceived role-physical, were significantly lower than the normative data (P < .05). Conclusions: SARS survivors had deficits in cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal performance, and their HRQOL appeared to be significantly impaired.